TetherTools – Shooting Tethered and other Fun Things..

We had a look at the AERO from Tether Tools a while back (Read that review here) well, I’ve been in touch with the photographer who did that review for us, London based commercial photographer, Nathan Pask. He was on his way out to a shoot and did indeed have his Aero with him – Nathan snapped a couple of shots for me of the Aero in action and had this to say when asked “are you still using that Tether Table?” (I love a review that actually has a few months of use and a recap! Two weeks to get a proper feel for a product is a bit silly, really)

“Sure do mate. All the time! I get a lot of admirers ask about it. I like that its light. It does have a little bit of flex, but I have the big one because of the 17″ lappy so I guess that’s to be expected. I never feel like its going to topple though. So I mostly attach it to my carbon sticks and it becomes a really nice lightweight option when I’m on location particularly as myself or my Digi-op can easily pick it up and move to the next spot without too much fuss and the strap over the laptop keeps it pretty secure. Can’t recall ever having a scary moment that the table has been responsible for. It is quite expensive for what it is, but there isn’t a product I’ve seen that can compare, so they kinda have the market sewn up currently.”

Nathan Pask on a shoot using the Tether Tools Aero Master

Since getting hold of my own Aero, I’ve been using her for a lot more than simply shooting tethered on a set or in the studio – the Tether Tools Aero has become a second desk space when I need a little more space – as you can see below, the option for pretty much anything else besides my frequent cups of coffee isn’t really an option. It takes me about 45 seconds to set up a tripod and my tether table to use as an extra desk.

Since our last look at Tether Tools, their quiver of gear has expanded to include a desk full of extra handy stuff that is set to make your life easier, from iPad holding gizmos to cup holders (I’m not even joking) – I wanted to bring some of it to your attention, perchance you’re struggling and these will bring a smile to your face and a bit of extra speed and security to your workflow. I went across to visit the terribly attractive team at Kayell in Melbourne and picked up the “essentials kit” it has Jerk Stopper and the super handy USB light in a little case, as well as a couple of the TetherPro cables – I got them in orange as, on a darker set, they’re “less easy” to trip over… (I’m a clutz ok..!)

For those of you still unfamiliar with exactly what tethering is, here… check this out!

I’m using the Aero Master and an Aero XDC to run my external “on location” disc underneath the Aero.. This way, as Mark mentioned in the video, I can shoot straight to my laptop and have a copy load into my external disk via folder actions. I also have the CF in the camera with a copy on should something go horribly wrong. Some other examples of where I’ve used my Aero – most of which you may find a little amusing – include a coffee table (yes, with a tablecloth over it) as a work desk to use my Macbook Air on when I’m sitting outside working while watching my 3 year old ride his bike around and around… I’ve used it on a 3LeggedThing “Keith” as a tabletop recipe book holder AND I’ve also used it as a flag to block light on a shoot. (I usually use a NastyFlag or similar if I’m simply shaping light to shoot a product, but hey – I needed something bigger!)

The bottom line I guess is that the Aero has sooo many other uses than simply being a great, portable tethering accessory and workbench.

I’d like to close todays proceedings with a couple of actual photographs from the set Nathan was working on, you can see his Aero with a thinkTank Pixel Sunscreen on top, combining these two means you have a stable work surface and a non-glare option to make sure you’re shooting and getting exactly what you need. I agree that the Aero may not be for everyone, but if you’re a semi-pro or pro that is continually moving that annoying coffee table around to rest your laptop on, well, it may just be for you….

The Tether Tools Aero is a great bit of kit, though as Nathan mentioned, it is towards the pricier end of the scale, but I’d say for a working pro that does a lot of tethered work on location, the Aero is invaluable. (And my mum always said “buy well, buy once)